Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Unsafe for passenger safety - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Tom - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Despite good safety rating, these cars consistently do not provide passenger airbag protection for passengers less than 120 lbs. If you are less than 100 lbs on the passenger side, you can guarantee that the airbag will be off. We took the car back to the dealer 3 times, averaging 4 days each time - and they claimed nothing is wrong. They DO KNOW that these seat sensors were set too high, and there is nothing they can do to fix it. Not only have we experienced this in our car, weve driven rentals of 2009 and 2010 heritage, and the same problem exists in these other years. The service manager said "No problem exists because the computer did not register any faults". Ha, ha, ha. Stupid!

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  Love Hate Relationship - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By FirstSUV - November 6 - 2:00 am

  We bought this big SUV for our big family, and having that much space is great. But when things keep breaking down, breaking off, and breaking in general, all of the things youve always heard about Chevys becomes true. Oil sensors, transmission -- whats next? That being said, it is fun to drive and looks really nice. Not sure that makes it worth all of the headache.

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  Not a Bad Ride - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Indiana Owner - November 5 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Impala for about 1 1/2 years. About 2 months ago I noticed the car sounded louder. Well turns out there is a major flaw in the muffler a lot of police vehicles have had the same issue. For the part alone its $800+ dealer only part. You have to get the entire system not just the muffler. Needless to say I have been driving with a loud car since. Should be a recall but GM doesnt want to pay for it. Otherwise I like my Impala a lot- the size is good and the ride is nice.

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  Terrible vehicle GM at its worst! - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bohinski41 - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle brand new in 2007 Ive had it in the shop 5 times! Ive replace spark plugs and plug wires two times in 2 yr period due to cylinder 3 misfire. I constantly have to change head lights. Transmission went out at 51,000 miles! Ive had a wheel bearing go out my tire pressure sensor has went out two times. Ive replaced both axles 2 times a piece. And now after 2 weeks in shop for transmission replacement i have the thing home for an hr and go to get in it and my door handle breaks off and then while im driving down the rd my check engine light starts blinking while the thing is spitting and sputtering so once again cylinder misfire. Piece of junk I recommend not to buy!

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  Chevy Trucks - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Misa - November 2 - 2:00 am

  My Chevy was good to me the first year I purchased it. I have had major issues since right before the 36k warranty ran out. I have had hubs, axles, holes in muffler, window jam. broken sensors, electrical charges, drained batteries due to improper wiring. I am the only one of 7 siblings still driving American or at least north American (Canada included). My parents refused to buy Chevy from the 80s on. And this year I have the pleasure of looking at my whole family and relay how unreliable the Chevy is. Thanks

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  Not too sastified - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By dstevens1204 - October 31 - 2:00 am

  i own a 2006 chevy cobalt lt coupe for 2 years now. pretty much, the main problem is that the cd player never want to work, the engine light keep coming off and on.

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  Dont Believe Published MPG - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By beachguy46 - October 29 - 2:00 am

  The Chevy S-10 is a great looking truck. Mine is painted the 2001 version of a midnight metallic blue and it is really sharp. I have the extended cab version and its very comfortable for a small vehicle. Visibility is great, and parking is easy. Great stereo and CD player. A big disappointment is the low performance of the 4 cyl. engine and the very disappointing miles per gallon. I drive the truck very conservatively yet can only get about 17 mpg. in combined highway and city driving. Not very good for a vehicle with a 4 cylinder low performance engine. I would recommend the 6 cyl. version of this truck. Since the same body style was made for many years, spare parts are readily available.

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  Chevrolet Blazer - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Kie - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in 2008 because it was decently priced for a 4WD. I live in Montana where it snows half the year and I needed 4WD to be able to get out of my driveway every day to go to school. This was my first car and for about the first year it was good. The only problem I had with it was the alternator, which went bad. Its 4WD is awesome... I could get out of any drifts or ditches I was in. But then problems came at around 120,000 miles. My catalytic converter went out and I had that taken out, and my EGR valve has a build-up of carbon. Every week for the last month and a half I have been having to clean out the EGR valve. My Blazer got about 12 mpg... which is terrible.

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  I cant wait get a new car - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By tiredofthispos - October 23 - 2:00 am

  My parents got the cobalt for me 3 yrs ago as my 1st car. I wanted a jetta. I have had numerous problems. After 6 mo:shift nob got really loose, automatic Windows randomly go out. I have taken the car to the dealer 3x and it still does this. After 1 yr:fuel pump died, the int. Handle bubbled up. After 2 yrs:sun visor mirror cover and a defroster vent broke off. All but 1 speaker has gone out, a seat belt that is rarely used broke, turning signal stopped making clicking noise. I have taken my car to the dealer numerous times. The nob and handle were fixed. The warranty would not fix:speakers, vents, visor. Had to pay $130 just to see if it would cover the seat belt it didnt. Windows still dont work.

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  One year after review! Problems a plenty - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By vahdyx - October 22 - 2:00 am

  Id like to educate some with the flaws. The problems Im experiencing after a year of owning this car has been a pain. Cylinder 4 misfire after 1000 miles, MAP Sensors fail especially after getting the optional "GM Stage 1 kit", Intermediate steering shaft rattles, condensation in headlight, rear brake pads scoring rotor, plastic charge pipe cracking due to extreme weather, thud when shifting into gear, etc. I have taken this car to get warranty work more than any other car Ive owned. Its getting old. I dont recommend the SS unless you know your way around a car. After my warranty expires, I anticipate selling, but unfortunately, this car has poor resale value. Maybe Ill start tuning it